Chaos escalates in Ferguson as more journalists are arrested

More arrests in Ferguson in apparent effort to block access to protests

Last night, Getty photographer Scott Olson became the latest journalist to be detained while covering the protests in Ferguson, Missouri, in what appears to be an ongoing effort by police to keep the press from documenting the clashes between citizens and the police. The protests began last week following the police shooting of Mike Brown.

Photo credit: Joe Raedle/Getty Images News/Getty images

Olson has been on the ground covering developments in Ferguson for many days, and has captured some of the most powerful images of the protests. Here are a few of the pictures from Ferguson Olson was able to snap before being arrested.

Twitter user Jon Swaine was able to capture a picture of Olson's arrest:

“Getty Images staff photographer Scott Olson was arrested this afternoon in Ferguson, Missouri, while on assignment documenting the events there,” Pancho Bernasconi, vice president for news at Getty Images, said. “We at Getty Images stand firmly behind our colleague Scott Olson and the right to report from Ferguson. Getty Images is working to secure his release as soon as possible.

“We strongly object to his arrest and are committed to ensuring he is able to resume his important work of capturing some of the most iconic images of this news story.”

After last week’s arrest of Washington Post reporter Wesley Lowery drew a harsh response from many Americans, including President Obama, local authorities acknowledged the media should be allowed to cover the protests and signed a court order agreeing to guarantee media access.

Twitter user Trevor Timm posted this image of the agreement signed by local authorities:

And here’s an incredible Vine from the Financial Times’ Neil Munshi as the police descended Monday night on the press pen to clear the area.

As tensions continue to ratchet up in the Missouri summer heat, the ability for everyday Americans to monitor the situation has been compromised. In fact, the situation has deteriorated so far in Ferguson, it has drawn the attention of human rights watchdog Amnesty International.

Here is a shocking image from Twitter user Steve Giegerich reportedly of two Amnesty International monitors working to protect human rights on a street right here in America.

Monitors like these are usually reserved for protecting people in developing nations, not a suburb of St. Louis. Things appear to be going from bad to worse in Ferguson by the moment. The ACLU reminds us that taking pictures of police or other government officials carrying out their duties in public places, whether you're a member of the media or not, is a protected constitutional right.